The Best Dry Rub for Ribs
This quick and easy dry rub for ribs is such a simple recipe and it lasts up to 6 months in the cupboard! Use it to add a delicious layer of flavor to anything you grill or smoke!
You Will Love This
- This rib rub recipe is necessary to make the best ribs on your smoker – they literally fall right off the bone! It pairs perfectly with your favorite barbecue sauce and will add the most delicious flavor to your rack of ribs.
- The secret ingredients in this rib rub are actually common pantry spices that you’ve probably already got on hand!
- If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my easy smoked ribs, smoked mac and cheese, smoked meatloaf, and smoked queso dip.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Paprika
- Black Pepper
- Mustard Powder
Instructions
Add ingredients to a small bowl.
Mix until well combined.
Use it to season your favorite slow-smoked beef ribs recipe!
Tips
- You can totally customize this recipe to make it your own! Feel free to add more or less of your favorite flavors and notice how it subtly changes the overall flavor of the recipe and the taste of the ribs. This is a great blueprint for you to use as a starting point and once you get comfortable you can jazz it up as you wish!
- Don’t worry about the recipe being sweet. There is a decent amount of sweetness from the brown sugar in the rub but all the other spices and a moderate amount of salt balance out the flavor. The sugar will add a delicious molasses flavor.
Variations
Use this recipe as a blueprint and make it your own by adding different flavors! Some of our family’s favorites include:
- cayenne pepper
- dried herbs
- Italian seasoning
- smoked paprika
- celery salt
- cinnamon
How to Use
This is the best rib rub to use with my easy smoked ribs recipe! Be sure to check out the full recipe for details but here are the basics:
- Remove the membrane and rub the back of the ribs with mustard (to help the rub stick), then add the dry rub.
- Repeat with the meat side of the ribs. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap to marinate for 15 minutes or up to 48 hours.
- Then use the 3, 2,1 method of smoking to get perfectly juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs!
Use With
- baby-back ribs
- chicken thighs
- pork ribs
- steaks
- pork chops
- chicken
- spare ribs
FAQ
Anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours. You’ll want the dry rub to sit on the ribs for at least 15 minutes to tenderize the meat and draw out the moisture, but you can refrigerate the ribs coated in the dry rub for up to 48 hours.
It may seem counterintuitive since it’s called a dry rub, but it’s best to add a layer of Dijon or yellow mustard to your ribs before adding the dry rub! The vinegar helps to break down and tenderize the meat and then the dry rub helps to draw the moisture to the surface to develop the bark.
Yes! The dry rub goes on while you are prepping the ribs and then it stays on throughout the cooking process. It helps to create the bark and flavor the meat.
Make-Ahead and Reheating
- Make-Ahead: This dry rub recipe will stay good for up to 6 months so I’ll often double the recipe so I know I’ve always got some on hand.
- Storage: Store the dry rub in a mason jar in a cool, dry place. I like to store mine in the pantry or in my spice drawer.
More Easy Recipes
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Dry Rub
This quick and easy dry rub for ribs is such a simple recipe and it lasts up to 6 months in the cupboard! Use it to add a delicious layer of flavor to anything you grill or smoke!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 1 cup of seasoning
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a bowl.
- Transfer to a mason jar and use to make your favorite slow-smoked beef ribs!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- You can totally customize this recipe to make it your own! Feel free to add more or less of your favorite flavors and notice how it subtly changes the overall flavor of the recipe and the taste of the ribs. This is a great blueprint for you to use as a starting point and once you get comfortable you can jazz it up as you wish!
- Don’t worry about the recipe being sweet. There is a decent amount of sweetness from the brown sugar in the rub but all the other spices and a moderate amount of salt balance out the flavor. The sugar will add a delicious molasses flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 661 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.7 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
We used it she smoked cream cheese and it was great !!! Definitely will use on some ribs
I’m so glad to hear that this was delicious on the smoked cream cheese, Susan! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
This was delicious!! I used this rub on ribs and pork butt – put them in the smoker and – AMAZING FLAVOR CAME OUT!! The family loved the flavor it gave to both meats.
Great idea using this recipe to smoke pork butt AND ribs, Shari!